OLYMPIA FIELDS (Illinois), June 13: Jim Furyk overhauled eight-times major winner Tom Watson with a four-under-par 66 on Friday to take an early three-shot lead in the U.S. Open second round.

The 33-year-old Furyk, who possesses one of the most unorthodox swings in the game, reeled off four birdies in a blemish-free display at an overcast Olympia Fields Country Club for a record tournament aggregate of seven-under-par 133.

The previous mark of 134 was jointly held by Jack Nicklaus, at Baltusrol in 1980; Tze-Chung Chen, at Oakland Hills in 1985; Lee Janzen, at Baltusrol in 1993; and Tiger Woods, at Pebble Beach in 2000.

“It’s nice to have,” Furyk said in referring to his 36-hole U.S. Open record, “but who knows what the others will do (later today).

Watson, who fired a scintillating five-under-par 65 on Thursday to set the first-round pace with qualifier Brett Quigley, had been two strokes back with six holes to play.

But the 53-year-old American, who won the 1982 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach, ran up a three-putt double-bogey at the par-four 12th to slip backwards before a birdie-three on 14 lifted him to four under.

Conditions at the par-70 North Course were relatively calm for the second day in a row and players were able to attack the receptive, rain-softened greens.

Furyk, who has produced 11 top-10 finishes in major championships, birdied the par-five first after hitting his approach to within two feet, and then picked up further shots on six, 13 and 14.

Argentina’s Eduardo Romero also took early advantage, eagling the 576-yard opening hole, and was three strokes behind the pace-setting Furyk with one hole remaining.

Also at four under was three-times major winner Nick Price, who rattled off three birdies in a front-nine of 33 before picking up three more shots after the turn.

American Robert Damron, who reeled off four birdies in his first 11 holes before an untidy finish, carded a 68 to lie a further stroke back at three-under-par 137.

Quigley, who missed five successive cuts on this season’s PGA Tour, suffered a frustrating second round, carding a 74 to finish at one-under 139.

The 33-year-old, who had missed the cut on his previous two Open appearances, bogeyed the 10th hole, his first, and also 13 before getting one shot back at the par-three 15th.

But he bogeyed the 164-yard fourth to fall back to three under, and then dropped shots at the last two holes.

Defending champion Tiger Woods, who eked out a scrappy 70 on Thursday, was another late starter, scheduled to begin his second round with British Open champion Ernie Els and U.S. amateur champion Ricky Barnes.

Els, winner of the U.S. Open in 1994 and 1997, opened with a one-under-par 69 while Barnes carded a 71.

Twenty-four players broke par in the first round, the third highest figure in U.S. Open history.

Weather forecasts expected conditions to remain dry, cloudy and relatively calm at the par-70 North Course for Friday.

Latest second round scores

133 Jim Furyk 67 66

136 Eduardo Romero (Argentina) 70 66, Nick Price (Zimbabwe) 71 65

137 Tom Watson 65 72, Robert Damron 69 68

138 Stewart Cink 70 68

139 Brett Quigley 65 74, Darren Clarke (Britain) 70 69, Kirk Triplett 72 68, David Toms 72 67

140 Angel Cabrera (argentina) 72 68, Jonathan Kaye 70 70, Mike Weir (Canada) 73 67, Mark O’Meara 72 68, Phil Mickelson 70 70, Dicky Pride 71 69, Lee Janzen 72 68

141 Peter Lonard (Australia) 72 69, a-Trip Kuehne 74 67

142 Steve Lowery 70 72, Len Mattiace 69 73, Chris Anderson 72 70 143 Sergio Garcia (Spain) 69 74, J.P.Hayes 70 73, Niclas Fasth (Sweden) 75 68, John Rollins 73 70, Kenny Perry 72 71, Scott Verplank 76 67, Brian Davis (Britain) 71 72